Man who murdered Karen Buckley drops appeal against jail sentence

Alexander Pacteau has dropped his appeal against the sentence he received for murdering Karen Buckley.

The 21-year-old's appeal was due to be heard in Edinburgh on Friday, but a spokesperson for the Scottish judiciary said that was no longer going ahead.

"The Criminal Appeal Court has this afternoon received notification that Alexander Pacteau has abandoned his appeal against sentence for the murder of Karen Buckley," read a statement from Judicial Office for Scotland.

Karen, 24, from Mourneabbey in Co Cork, was murdered by Mr Pacteau in Glasgow last April.

Her family made an emotional plea for her safe return, after the nurse went missing on a night out.

Pacteau was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years in prison in September, after pleading guilty to the crime.